Kids' Clothing Question

**Milly** · 02-26-2009, 09:24 AM

What do you consider to be the rock-bottom, absolute minimum items for a girl's school clothes wardrobe?

I have two grand-daughters whose folks are really struggling right now, so I thought I'd spend the summer putting together a rock-bootom (but attractive) school wardrobe for each of them. That way, if autumn comes and DD & SIL are still in a hole, the kids will have something decent to wear. If they're a little better off than they are now, DD will have the joy of taking them outlet store shopping and buying only the nifty fill-in stuff that their little hearts desire.

I can't find a list anywhere, so I kinda' came up with this one on my own:

5 pair jeans.
5 tops.
5 sweaters and/or sweatshirts.
1 or 2 cardigan sweaters.
1 winter coat.
Several sets of hats, gloves and mittens.
1 snow suit.
underwear and socks.
1 or 2 nice dressy outfits for school functions.
2 pair winter boots in ascending sizes.

Shoes will have to be purchased new closer to school time.

Any advice? Is this too little or too much? anything else I should consider?

**justpeachy92** · 02-26-2009, 09:42 AM

I think you have a good list. The only thing I might add would be a skirt or skorts. Not sure where you live, but I know 2 of my girls wear skirts/skorts in the fall when school starts and it is still warm out. With my kids we make sure that we buy more tops than we do bottoms. Even my 15 yr old dd doesn't care if she wears the same jeans twice in one week but she likes to go a couple of weeks without repeating any tops. I think I would buy more than 5 tops, and get a mixture of short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts.

**Milly** · 02-26-2009, 09:55 AM

Skorts are a great idea. Thanks. (Skirts wouldn't work for these two since they're really active and love to hang upside down on the monkey bars!)

I hadn't thought of long-sleeved Ts either.

**mommy4ever** · 02-26-2009, 10:10 AM

my girls( i have 3):

Jeans/cords - 3 to 4 pairs
Yoga pants 2 pairs
1 or 2 skirts + 2 pairs of shorts.
tops - 2 hoodies, 2 cardigans, 2 sweaters. Variety of short and longsleeve tshirts and some tanks for layering.

Ski pants and jacket - snowsuit is irrelevant if you have ski pants.
1 set of mitts, 1 hat and 1 balaclava
1 set boots
1 indoor shoes
socks and undies.

I don't buy this every year. I watch for sales, freecycle and thrift store. For now dd11 can pass to dd9, but dd9 will soon be taller. I save classic items to pass down for dd5. Jeans, cords, cardigans. Plain t's if not too used.

They get gift cards and things from family at birthdays and Christmas to "fill in the blanks" with any trendy items they would like.

DD9 tends to have more than dd11 due to hand me downs. She does get some new items regardless, but not as many.

**sunshine** · 02-26-2009, 10:26 AM

cardigans? My dd never wore a cardigan since she's been able to tell me "no".

a couple pair of nice black pants , and a nice white shirt. Seems lots of school activities require this attire. . . also one or two solid colored shirts or T-shirts in their school colors, since they are sometimes required to wear school colors.

**Milly** · 02-26-2009, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by mommy4ever

Yoga pants 2 pairs

This is a perfect example of why I come here to ask questions. I had never heard of yoga pants, so I went to look them up. They are very cute! Thanks.

**Milly** · 02-26-2009, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by sunshine

cardigans? My dd never wore a cardigan since she's been able to tell me "no".

Now you know what decade I grew up in, huh?

Are hoodies the modern equivalent of cardigans? If not, what is?

**sunshine** · 02-26-2009, 10:47 AM

yeah -- hoodies are a good substitute. . . then cut back on the sweatshirts.

**mommy4ever** · 02-26-2009, 10:51 AM

If you can find a good deal the little yoga jackets are nice too.

Milly, my girls have what I call cardigans, they are knitted button or zip up sweaters. They love them. Theirs are hooded. We have very cold temperatures, so they need the ability to layer.

It depends on the area and what the kids wear. DD11 loves a high collar blouse with the tuxedo ruffles, very prim, toss on a cable knit sweater and a long skinny scarf. ANd it's fine. DD9 is much more casual, layered tshirts and layered tanks in the summer.

**perSue** · 02-26-2009, 10:52 AM

uhm, no skorts. not in style.
the worst part about buying girls clothing (over the age of like 2!) is that each girl is picky about what she'll wear! LOL

i second the idea of:
jeans - basic, maybe a little fancy stitching around pockets, but keep it simple.

tees - with cool sayings, cool characters. but keep it simple. this one can be tricky, cuz some girls want plain tees, others want lotsa frills or designs. some girls layer tees, others dont.

i second yoga pants! super comfy, versatile and "in style".

simple jackets, like a wind breaker, denim jacket, or just a thick cotton/blend coat that can be worn spring/fall/early winter is good. keep this very simple, if not plain.

the most "individual" item is definitely the t-shirt. so, knowing the girls as you do, choose wisely there. go less for cutesy than what they may think is cool. "cute" only goes so far, depending on the age.

"fancy" clothes... do a simple black skirt with a nice blouse or sweater for events. if they like a certain type of dress, go for that. this can also be very individual as well. a simple black dress with a bright or shiny cover/shell/jacket/etc can be really nice.

otherwise i think you've gotta great idea and your list is quite comprehensive. I assume it will simply add to the current wardrobe.

an idea for keeping up with "what's in style"... i hate to admit this, but some of the tv shows that they watch will give you an idea. You dont have to go so far as what some may wear (example: on the OC) or whatever... but it gives you an idea of what direction to go in... and then use the child's personality to make choices.

i hope this helps some.
i know it's difficult... and i'm SO thankful to have a boy who doesnt care about fashion.... a tshirt is a tshirt to him! LOL

good luck

**angelbumpkin** · 02-26-2009, 10:52 AM

Hoodies are sweatshirts with hoods or a heavier long sleeve shirt with a hood.

I would add maybe a pair of sweat pants to wear another the house.

**mommy4ever** · 02-26-2009, 10:55 AM

uhm, no skorts. not in style.
the worst part about buying girls clothing (over the age of like 2!) is that each girl is picky about what she'll wear! LOL

My girls have a ton and love them. Skorts here are not as they used to be. It's a full skirt with little hotpants sewn in. Much like the cheerleader shorts. SO unless they are upside down, it looks just like a skirt. not split in the back.

**perSue** · 02-26-2009, 11:01 AM

Well, depending on where you live i guess... here closer to the city... skorts will get you picked on. and kids don't need to add anything else to get picked on, IMO.

I own a couple myself... we call them "tennis skirts" (w/the built in shorts)... I use them for running or when it's hot out and want to wear a short skirt, but want the extra fabric.

but i dont have to contend with other peers making comments about my clothes... the way kids will.
But the girls around here, no way would they be caught in a skort, UNLESS they played tennis!

thanks for explaining tho mommy4ever.

**TigerGirl1226** · 02-26-2009, 11:03 AM

You mentioned boot...will they have other shoes? I know most kids here have tennis shoes.

**mommy4ever** · 02-26-2009, 11:07 AM

perSue, we are in a major city and I'd say 90% of the girls wear them, the other 10% wouldnt' be caught dead in a skirt period. Even dd5 denim skirts have them. I don't know that I could find a skirt in this city that didn't unless it's a really long one.